1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an electrical connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention relates to an electrical connector of the type comprising a housing member with passages each adapted to receive a female electrical contact member having at one end lugs for crimping it to an electrical conductor and at the other end a spring clamp adapted to grip a male strip.
The housing member has a transverse slot in which moves a locking key provided with slots the edges of which cooperate with a profiled part of each female electrical contact member so that once the members are fitted they cannot be removed without removing the key from the slot.
In this type of connector a retaining tongue is cut out from the lateral wall of the female electrical contact member on the same side as the spring clamp and directed towards the profiled part, this tongue constituting a detent for retaining the member in the corresponding passage.
As each member must occupy a particular angular position within the corresponding passage, the latter is provided with a longitudinal groove and each member is provided with a boss cooperating with the groove.
It has been found that, during fitting of the female electrical contact members, when they line up with the slot, the retaining tongues tend to move them out of alignment with the passages. The ends of the members having the spring clamp may then not engage in the corresponding end of the passages, or engage therein only with difficulty.
It has also been found that, on demounting the female electrical contact members, the free end of the retaining tongue may abut against the edge of the corresponding passage opening into the slot, so that there is a risk of the electrical contact members being impossible to remove.
One aim of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks.